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Gun or ammo issue or normal ballistics

mvphilly

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 27, 2022
994
1,400
NY
I have a Savage Model 10 on a XLR chassis scoped with a Burris XTR 3 5.5 x 30. I have it zeroed at 200 yards using Norma 147g FMJ ammo and it holds a nice group on all sets. Now when I switch to Winchester M118 Long Range(not cheap) 175gr Sierra matchking Service Grade it is low and left by 9 inches but still tight group. Then when I switch to Hornady Urban Tap LE 110 grain it is even tighter but high right by 9 inches???????????? Should there be so much deviation from each ammo?Everything feels tight and locked down so is it just the ballistics. Thoughts.
 
My range on extends to 200 so thats why I do that. I never go anywhere else so it simplifies it for me. What had me perplexed is the Norma shot perfect and the others not so much.
 
All that matters is that they groups tight. Point of impact can be adjusted to point of aim.

Also 200 yard zero is not the way to go. Zero at 100 and dial to 200. Might not make sense now but it will later.
 
free advice there. recommend listening to it.
To be honest didnt see much constructive advice.The fact is I have this gun with this ammo.The ammo functions fine with not that much deviation in another gun was questioning why this one would be different.
 
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My range on extends to 200 so thats why I do that. I never go anywhere else so it simplifies it for me. What had me perplexed is the Norma shot perfect and the others not so much.
Look at this way, had you zeroed with one of the others it would be centered and you'd be saying the Norma was in the "not so much" group.

Enter the data for each cartridge here and uncheck "target relative drops" to see the raw trajectory of each.
 
You just need to adjust your scope so your POA is the same as POI. It's that simple. Nothing to try. Different ammo=Different impact.
 
I have a Savage Model 10 on a XLR chassis scoped with a Burris XTR 3 5.5 x 30. I have it zeroed at 200 yards using Norma 147g FMJ ammo and it holds a nice group on all sets. Now when I switch to Winchester M118 Long Range(not cheap) 175gr Sierra matchking Service Grade it is low and left by 9 inches but still tight group. Then when I switch to Hornady Urban Tap LE 110 grain it is even tighter but high right by 9 inches???????????? Should there be so much deviation from each ammo?Everything feels tight and locked down so is it just the ballistics. Thoughts.

I believe the deviations on target you are seeing here as simply due to barrel harmonics because of the large variation of bullet weights and powder variations in the ammunition you are shooting.

You state they are all grouping well. Pick the ammo that you can best afford to shoot with, adjust your scope, and have fun given that most of your shooting is at 200 yards.
 
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recommend some hornady match ammo loaded with a bthp or eldm. 155, 168 or 178 will do fine. buy a box of each, test, find what gun likes, buy more of same ammo. 168 gr shoot good in every gun.
 
Different bullets and loads will have different points of impact. Pick your favorite load and zero your rifle for that load. All rifles will have different point of impact for different bullets and more so if differing weights and shapes, in other words all bullets are not created equal.
 
Different bullets and loads will have different points of impact. Pick your favorite load and zero your rifle for that load. All rifles will have different point of impact for different bullets and more so if differing weights and shapes, in other words all bullets are not created equal.
I just didnt believe that they would have that much deviation to be honest.
 
Seems like a big shift, but its a fairly low grade rifle.

What matters is how well it shoots, and you seem to be happy about that. Rezero the rifle and carry on.

Also, zero at 100 yards. There's zero reason to zero at 200 yards.
 
Being at 200 also makes the shift more dramatic. If at 100 would be about half that so not too much from load to load especially so much different loads and bullet weights.
 
Unfortunately there is no truly defined 100 yard marker there so i took what I could.Thank you for the advice and suggestions.
 
Make one. Measure it out and put a stake in the ground. All it takes. If you have a laser range finder then it's even easier.
 
Don’t listen to the beta boys talkin shit.
Just adjust your scope to the different ammo as mentioned It’s not something to stress about. Better yet pic a ammo you can get regularly zero it and forget about the rest of it.
 
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To be honest didnt see much constructive advice.The fact is I have this gun with this ammo.The ammo functions fine with not that much deviation in another gun was questioning why this one would be different.
There isn’t any constructive advice there. Some ppl like to think that saying things like that will make them look smart or superior because they “know” that an AI is better than a savage. They know stuff! Savages are clunky but we’ve got one that will shoot with any rifle. It has an aftermarket barrel on it and it’s in a chassis but it’s still a savage…clunky but accurate as hell!

Diff ammo will print differently, especially at 200. If all you’re doing with the rifle is target shooting at 200+ there’s nothing wrong with a 200 yard zero. Our 338 is zeroed at 200 bc I’ll never shoot it at anything less than that and it allows me to cant the scope and get more elevation adjustment. If you plan to hunt or shoot less than 200 a 100yd zero would be better. Zero for the ammo you want to shoot and stick with that ammo. Go send them and ignore ppl that say things like “shit rifle, shit ammo”.
 
Personally, I zero my target rifles at 100 but .308 for eastern white tail deer I zero at 200 and feel that I can make a quick shot (if needed, and sometimes it is) from anywhere there or in without worrying about dialing or holding over.

I’m not an expert hunter, I’m sure some naysayers will pop up to tell me how dumb I am, but for me this makes good sense.
 
Personally, I zero my target rifles at 100 but .308 for eastern white tail deer I zero at 200 and feel that I can make a quick shot (if needed, and sometimes it is) from anywhere there or in without worrying about dialing or holding over.

I’m not an expert hunter, I’m sure some naysayers will pop up to tell me how dumb I am, but for me this makes good sense.
Makes good sense to me. The point of impact difference between a hundred-yard zero and a 200-yard zero with a .308 hunting bullet is something like four to six inches. You are dead on with your 200 yard zero at 200, two inches high at 100, and maybe eight inches low at 300. More or less a minute of deer. With a hundred-yard zero you would be four inches low at 200 and 14 inches low at 300. Outside of 300 yards, you likely will have time to dial or use the reticle for distance.

You can zero at any distance, but the advantage of a 100 yard zero is you are always dialing up and always using the lower part of an intelligent reticle. It's also easier to get a hard zero at 100 yards than at 200. Having gone round and round on this I use a 100-yard zero, my son uses 200 yards. We both do fine. Most of the elk we shoot are inside 200 and we both have time to dial beyond 300.
 
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The sight in distance has no bearing on the POI variation you observed using different ammo.
Was the different ammo all tested on the same day? Was there mirage? How were the wind conditions?
Did you set the parallax correctly? All can affect the POI.

Although different types of ammo will typically not have the same POI if I am understanding you correctly 18"
horizontal spread seems excessive at 200 yards.